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Post-mortem PCRs made optional to reduce reported Covid deaths?

17 Feb 2022

 
  • DGHS issues circular specifying post-mortem Covid testing not mandatory for deaths 
  • Medical lab techs claim circular to under-report actual Covid-19 deaths
  BY Buddhika Samaraweera Following Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr. Asela Gunawardena issuing a circular stating that the conduct of post-mortem polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests is not mandatory for all deaths that occur in hospitals or elsewhere, questions have arisen as to whether this is an attempt to reduce the Covid-19 deaths reported in Sri Lanka.  The circular, dated 15 February, stated that a post-mortem PCR test, if required, can be conducted at the discretion of the relevant judicial medical officer (JMO). However, according to the circular, if diagnosed with the Covid-19 infection, the method of disposal remains the same, in adherence to the previous circulars regarding the same. However, this circular issued by the DGHS was opposed by the College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS). Speaking to The Morning yesterday (16), CMLS President Ravi Kumudesh claimed that the circular issued by the DGHS is an attempt to drive down the number of Covid-19 deaths in the country.  “Most of the Covid-19 deaths reported so far have been identified by post-mortem PCR tests. This is because the vast majority of Covid-19 deaths that are reported have occurred at home or before being admitted to hospital. Especially in the current context, an infected person is often hospitalised at the last minute. Therefore, the only way to identify them as a Covid-19-infected person is to conduct a post-mortem PCR test. All other countries are conducting post-mortem PCR tests; otherwise how can the cause of death (COD) be determined? But, according to this circular, Covid-19 deaths will not occur in Sri Lanka from now on. For example, what would the death certificate of a person who has contracted Covid-19 and died at home, mention? According to the circular, the cause of death of such persons would be that he or she stopped breathing.” Kumudesh also said that the circular in question confirms that the statements made by various parties that there is a possibility of the spread of Covid-19 through the burial of the bodies of the Covid-19-infected deceased are completely untrue.  “With this decision, the bodies of Covid-19-infected deceased can possibly be buried everywhere. Then, it is well reflected that various parties, including officials of the Health Ministry itself, lied about the so-called possibility of the disease spreading through burial grounds. If so, the law should be enforced against those who tried to create religious and ethnic extremism through it,” he claimed. Speaking further, he said that the decision of the Health Ministry to abandon the examination of corpses in a situation where even living persons are not properly screened for Covid-19 is not surprising.  “The pandemic cannot be controlled by post-mortem tests alone. Living people also need to be properly tested. However, when the Health Ministry has given up on the entire pandemic control programme, this circular is not something to be surprised of,” he claimed. Multiple attempts throughout the day to contact Health Ministry Communications Director, Public Health Services Deputy Director General, and Disaster Preparedness and Response Division Head Dr. Hemantha Herath and Health Ministry Co-ordinator in charge of Covid-19 and Medical Technological Services Director Dr. Anver Hamdani proved futile.


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